Connector for chains or the like.



.J. F. SAINT CLAIR.

CONNECTOR FOR CHAINS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, I916.

LQQA M, Patented June 5,1917.

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Jenn r. SAINT CLAIR, or on) WASHINGTON, OHIO. I

CONNECTOR FOR CHAINS OR THE LIKE.

To azz 'w/wm it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. SAINT CLAIR,

a citizen of theiUnitedStates, residing at Old Washington, in the county'of Guernsey and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Connectors for Chains orthe like,

. is a specification.

the non-skid chain will This invention relates to connectors forchains or the like and has particular appli: cation to adevice for connecting the terminals of a non-skid chain for automobile tires. Y

The chief characteristic of this invention resides in the provision of a device of this character which will hold the terminals of the chain securely together, the connector being permanently carried by one terminal of the chain andadapted to draw the other terminal'toward' the first terminal whereby be held snugly upon the tire. a

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device of this character havin the desirable features of simplicity, durability and eficiency, and a connector which may be applied to a non-skid chain of any common construction.

While the present invention is not of necessity. confined to use on a non-skid chain for automobile tires, it is particularly adapted to such use wherefore in the following description it will be considered that the invention is applied to a non-skid chain, thus avoiding complexity of description, without, however, confining the use ofv the invention to the particular associations described. 4

The invention will be best understood from the consideration of the following detailed debcription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the embodiment illustrated, though practical, is by no means the only embodiment which the invention may assume' In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device showing the same connectin the opposite ends of a non-skid chain or automobile tires.

i Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connector showing one terminal. of the chain mounted within one of the notches in the smaller posite edge as in Fig.

of which the following through both Totpermit the read Patented June 5, tea a.

member, the smaller member being in open position. v r

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the connector.

' Fig. 4 is another edge elevation of the connector looking at the same from l .fe op- My invention comprises a pair of links or members of relatively different lengths, the shorter memberbeing designated by the numeral 1,-while the longer member is designated as at 2. These members are pivot? ally connected to each other at their ends as at 3, the pivot extending transversely of the members in such a manner as to cause the sides of the members to confront each other, Each of the members 1 and 2 is provided at their confronting edges with inclined slots 4, the slots being inclined in opposite directions toward the pivot 3. The slot in the shorter member 1 has its outer wall formed with a series of notches 5'and as shown in Fig. 2 are adapted to receive the free terminal of the chain to hold the same upon the shorter member as will be hereinafter described.

As shown in Fig. l-the longer member 2 has its free end provided with an eye 6 which is adapted to receive one terminal 7 of the chain whereby the connector will be permanently carried by the chain as will be understood. In this ap lication of my invention the longer memb astationary member, while the shorter member 1 is mounted for vertical swinging movement upon the stationary shown in Fig. 2. To lock the shorter member upon the longer member as shown in Fig. 1, I have provided the up er edge of themember 2 with an outstrucli portion 8, which is adaptedto engage the confronting face of the member 1 wher'ebythe members. will be locked side by side. To limit the downward movement of the member 1, the member 2 is provided with a lug 9, the lug engaging the edge of the member 1 and thus limiting the downward movement thereof. swin ing of the memher 1 upon the mem er 2 I ave, provided its free end with a handle 10, the same being formed integral with the member and extending laterally from the same.

In practice, the longer member is permanently secured to the terminal 7 of the chain as has been described, whereby upon er 2 is practically member as a down into the slots.

applying the non-skid chain to the tire, the opposite or free terminal 11 is passed over the member 1 so as to lie within one of the notches 5, it being understood that the member '1 is now in vertical position. The member 1 is now moved forwardly and downwardly toward the member 2, the notches preventing the terminal 11 from slipping After the member 1 has been moved downwardly so as to cause the upper ends of theslots to register with each other, the free terminal 11 of the chain may be removed from the notches and slipped downwardly into the inner ends of the slots whereby the member 1 may be swung so as to lie by the side of the member 2 as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that the free terminal 11 of the chain is locked within the slot 4:, and the accidental displacement of the same is prevented. As has been previously described, the outstruck portion 8 of the member 2 frictionally holds the member 1 in an applied position, while the lug 9 limits the downward movement of the member 1 thereby preventing movement of the members with relation to each other.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accbiilpanying drawings that the construction and operation of shorter member being formed with an inclined slot opening through one edge in a direction toward the pivotal connection of the members, the longer wall of this slot being formed with a series of recesses, the non-recessed portion of the wall being equal in length to theremaining wall of the slot, the other member having an inclined slot opening through one edge and extended toward the pivotal connection, the slots of the respective members opening through what are opposing edges of the members when said members are in closed relation.

In testimony whereof I ah'ix my signature.

JOHN F. SAINT CLAIR. 

